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CHAP. 35.—THE CATANANCE; ONE OBSERVATION UPON IT. THE
CEMOS: ONE OBSERVATION UPON IT.

The catanance1 is a Thessalian plant, which it would be
a mere loss of time to describe, seeing that it is only used as
an ingredient in philtres. In order, however, to expose the
follies of the magical art, it may not be out of place to remark
that this plant has been selected for the above-named purpose,
from the fact that, as it withers, it gradually contracts and
assumes the shape of the claws of a dead kite.2

For a similar reason we shall give no description of the
plant called "cemos."3

1 Dioscorides speaks of two kinds of Catanance; one of which has
been identified by Sprengel with the Ornithopus compressus of Linnæus,
and the other with the Astragalus pugniformis. Fée expresses his doubts
as to the correctness of these conclusions.

2 "As if it would catch women, and hold them fast perforce."—Holland.
It has been suggested that the Coronopus, or "crow's foot," mentioned
in B. xxi. c. 59, was so called for a similar reason.

3 Prosper Alpinus identifies it with the Plantago Cretica of Linnæus,
and Sprengel with the Micropus erectus of Linnæus. Fée considers it to
be the Gnaphalium leontopodium of Lamarck.

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